wwlad? Chattanooga rescue from apartment fire

TWO CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, FIREFIGHTERS LITERALLY WENT into the flames in a dramatic rescue attempt of two infants Monday afternoon.

When the units arrived on the scene there was fire coming from the windows of both floors of a 2-story apartment unit and reports from people outside of two infants still upstairs. Two firefighters immediately charged up the stairs and found them in a bedroom with a 7-month-old baby in a crib and a boy age 3 nearby on the floor. Snatching both of them, the FF’s dashed outside as the turnout coat of one of them caught on fire.

Unfortunately, the baby was already dead from smoke inhalation. The older boy was also burned and died a few hours later at the hospital. The babies’ mother had left them in the care of her 9-yr.-old autisitic son while she visited with a neighbor three doors away. Investigators are working to determine the cause and are also considering criminal charges against the mother.

This video report from WTVC-TV Ch. 9 includes some gripping home video showing the rescue and the FF coming out of the apartment with the baby tucked inside his running coat that is burning at the same time. Later in the video they show his colleagues using a handline to extinguish his burning coat

I agree Malahat. This is going to be burning in their minds for a long time to come. But now they and the family know that those two kids had every possible chance of surviving and other than having a better mother, there is nothing else that could have been done to change the outcome.

The firefighter who was interviewed seemed very composed and pretty well spoken......hopefully the 2 of them will have all the support they need - also the young boy who survived.....the mother - what the h#$% was she thinking leaving a 9 year old in charge of 2 babies?????

Josh Burchard, the fire fighter interviewed used to be in our volunteer department and was and still is a great fire fighter. They received some burns but are doing well from what I have heard. I was wondering how long it would take the video to make it on the site.

Wow more then likely the children were a lost cause before the fd arrived. However great try by the firefighters involved. It just goes to show the lengths motivated hardcharging fireman will go to save a life.

It amazes me how much our modern gear can withstand and leave the firefigther in good condition. In the last ten years alone (the short time i have been in) i can tell a huge difference in the gear. Although this can lead us into areas that we should not. It is a good example of the abuse the gear can take.

Wow more then likely the children were a lost cause before the fd arrived. However great try by the firefighters involved. It just goes to show the lengths motivated hardcharging fireman will go to save a life.

It amazes me how much our modern gear can withstand and leave the firefigther in good condition. In the last ten years alone (the short time i have been in) i can tell a huge difference in the gear. Although this can lead us into areas that we should not. It is a good example of the abuse the gear can take.

Makes me wonder if anyone knows where I can find heat, durability, life expectancy, and material composition of common turnout gear. Brand doesnt matter I'm just curious and looking for numbers.

The firefighter who was interviewed seemed very composed and pretty well spoken......hopefully the 2 of them will have all the support they need - also the young boy who survived.....the mother - what the h#$% was she thinking leaving a 9 year old in charge of 2 babies?????

Yes he was. I think it might take a day for the adrenalin to wear off and reality to hit him like a ton of bricks.

The REALITY is they gave the kids a CHANCE. Which they WOULD NOT have had if they didn't make the push. Sometimes we don't get the outcome we want but NOT for a lack of trying. GREAT JOB,WELL DONE! T.C.